Archives for February 2012

Hummingbird Cake and…The Mothers’ Group

When you have your first baby you are usually invited by the Sister at your Baby Health Clinic to join a Mothers’ Group.  These groups start off meeting once a week at the Clinic and it’s a fantastic opportunity for new mums to meet some women in a similar situation.  Some of these groups are […]

Braised Beef with Kidney Beans and…A Memorable Birthday

A couple of years ago my birthday fell on a Saturday.  A few days before, Carl asked if I would like to go out for dinner with a bunch of friends.  I told him I would prefer to have a dinner party and Carl found that astounding, wondering why I would want to go to […]

Black Midnight Cake and…The ‘Push’ Present

When Alfie was newborn Carl gave me one of those thoughtful gifts that makes your heart melt.  Some people refer to these as ‘push presents’ because they’re usually presented to you just after the doctor has finished with that final bit of suturing.  Sometimes they come in Tiffany’s boxes and other times your husband might […]

Chocolate Slice and…A Ping-Pong Table

When I was growing up in New Zealand, my parents wanted to host wonderful dinner parties but the problem was, they didn’t have a table.  They did have a small, cheap table that, being the seventies, could even have been veneer.  And it only seated six.  My mother wanted a proper dining room table made […]

Thai Beef Salad and…A Little Bit of Power

There’s one in every school.  A housewife with a need for power so they volunteer at their child’s primary school and step into positions like running the canteen, marshaling the children at carnivals and worst of all, running the uniform shop. As a parent you can avoid the woman running the canteen, you can stay […]

Monte Carlo Biscuits and…An Unfortunate Sight

A few years ago Carl and I went to Far North Queensland for what I thought would be a calm, peaceful and relaxing few days.  When we arrived Carl told me he had organised something very special and with the benefit of women’s intuition I knew immediately he had booked the romantic sunset cruise I’d […]

Tomato and Lemongrass Sambal and…The Sting of Vanity

Earlier this week I walked in to my beautician’s shop hoping my favourite therapist, Rebecca, would be available to give me some long overdue maintenance.  Unfortunately Rebecca was booked out but while I was making an appointment for another time I noticed a sign saying ‘70% off IPL treatments’. I’ve been wondering about permanent hair […]

Mini Ice Cream Cones and…Once I Won A Trophy

When I was in my final year of high school I wasn’t anything fabulous like Head Girl or a Prefect or voted on to the Student Council or even the Teacher’s Pet.  But my prowess on the oval did earn me the title of ‘Athletics Champion’ and for that I was to be awarded a […]

Veal with Mushrooms and…Once I Owned a Bottle of Wine

Many years ago when I used to wear a business suit and catch a bus to Circular Quay where I’d work on the 26th floor of an ugly building doing a job I couldn’t stand, Carl told me one day that he had organised a dinner party. I wondered who was coming. Well he’d invited […]

Spinach and Prosciutto Salad and…The Mother’s Race

There is a very famous photo of Princess Diana – I mean, there are millions of famous photos of Princess Diana but I’ll mention just one.  It was taken at Prince William’s Elementary School on the day of the Athletics Carnival.  They ran a mother’s race and Princess Diana took part as a competitor.  In […]